Protect the microbes...

Hans, the Forest Fairy, stood rooted to the spot, speechless and unsure of what to do.

He could advocate for protecting animals, not only abstaining from meat himself but also demanding that others do the same—any vehicle transporting livestock had to be stopped and vandalized, and any shop selling meat had to be burned down.

He could also advocate for protecting plants, telling everyone to avoid vegetables grown in fields (as cultivation was a form of oppression against plants) and to only consume fruits from forest trees that could regenerate without harming the seeds.

But microbes... how could they be protected? Every second, unseen by the naked eye, billions of bacteria were born and died; with every move made, countless microbes perished.

It was simply impossible to protect them!

Unless he died right there and became a culture medium for microbes. Only then could he avoid harming them and allow the microbes to return to their primeval, natural lives.

But dying was out of the question.

When ordinary people awakened as Natural Spellcasters, not only did the very essence of their lives change, but sometimes their character and mind also underwent a complete transformation.

Hans had only just begun to experience the joy of possessing extraordinary powers; how could he willingly commit suicide on the spot? He wasn't foolish.

"Uh, I think, in the current situation, we should set some more realistic goals..."

Hans stammered for a moment, then his demeanor inexplicably hardened. He glared at Li Ang. "Wait! You're an Eastern Monk standing with these Forest Butchers. What right do you have to lecture me?"

"Do you think your nonsense can muddle my thoughts or affect my plans?"

"Impossible!"

"My will is iron, my fighting spirit blazes, and my life is mere kindling before this grand mission!"

"Since you dare to suggest it, I'll let you experience for yourself what it's like to be a culture medium for microbes..."

Before he could finish his threat, Li Ang stomped the ground. Fallen leaves flew up as his red-sweater-clad figure shot out like a blur.

In a flash, Hans's heart hammered like a drum, alarms blaring in his mind, and everything before his eyes seemed to slow.

He slowly moved his arms. The tall Tree Man connected to him from behind precisely mirrored the movement, crossing its own arms before it.

The wind howled. The Tree Man's arms shielded Hans and Gretel, plunging them into sudden darkness. In the enclosed space, only the children's panicked, rapid breathing could be heard.

"BOOM!"

An explosion roared outside. Hans, still holding his arms crossed before his chest, cried out in pain—a deep, crimson gash had inexplicably appeared on his arm.

"CRACK—"

The continuous sound of splintering wood echoed as the Tree Man's sturdy arms, as thick as city walls, were brutally severed by a Giant Scythe!

The Long Scythe Blade, tracing a crescent trajectory through the air, lost no momentum as it silently sliced through the fallen leaves and deadwood on the ground. The sunset's afterglow spilled onto the blade, dyeing it blood-red.

The next second, Li Ang's figure was reflected in Hans's eyes, and the Crescent Moon Sickle was poised at his and Gretel's necks.

"GULP."

Hans swallowed reflexively. His slightly shifting Adam's apple brushed the scythe's sharp edge, and a visible cut instantly appeared.

Blood gushed out, trickling down his neck. Through the wound in his throat, he thought he could taste the cold wind.

In that moment, Hans once again experienced a soul-freezing fear—just like the day before, when Forest Monsters had disemboweled him, and he had watched his own organs being pulled out.

"What did you say?"

Li Ang pressed the scythe to Hans's and Gretel's necks, regarding the two brats with a wide smile. "You want me to become a culture medium for microorganisms?"

He bent down and lightly placed a hand on Hans's shoulder.

CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK—

A rapid series of cracks sounded as Hans screamed, his face turning ashen as he collapsed to his knees. Beside him, Gretel's expression was fraught with anxiety, her fists clenched tightly.

The Tree Man, now armless and immobile, roared. It swung its two branch-like stumps with immense force, smashing them towards the center. From the dry yellow leaves beneath Gretel's feet, several roots shot out like snakes, lunging for Li Ang's head and limbs. Above, in the dense canopy, countless leaves transformed into a torrential rain, tearing through the air as they plummeted.

Li Ang remained unfazed. He activated the Phase Boots' intangibility Special Effect, his form becoming a phantom, allowing the Tree Man's attacks, the roots, and the leaves to pass through his translucent body. Simultaneously, the Divine Mark on the back of his gloved hand flashed briefly, and an invisible, intangible Divine Power spread out.

Gretel instantly realized she had completely lost control of the surrounding forest. She couldn't command even a single leaf, let alone the giant, kneeling Tree Man.

What's happening? The thought flashed through Gretel's mind. Before she could even feel fear or despair, she saw several branches reverse direction and shoot towards her. They bound her and her brother's limbs, hoisting them high, their hands and feet tied behind their backs. An apple was stuffed into each of their mouths.

All of this happened in a flash. By the time Li Ang released his Swamp God Power, compelling the surrounding forest trees to completely ensnare Hans and Gretel, the withered yellow leaves stirred up by his earlier stomp were only just settling back to the ground.

Carpenter Hoenburg was perhaps the first to react. Seeing his two children trapped in mid-air, he hurriedly said to Li Ang, "Monk, please don't hurt my children!"

"Heaven cherishes all life, and we Monks are compassionate. I am a benevolent person; how could I possibly harm children?"

Li Ang nodded and said to Hans and Gretel, "Alright, I'll administer a minor punishment. If you each sever your own two hands, two feet, and your head, I'll let you go. You can return home and reflect on your misdeeds."

Carpenter Hoenburg stared, dumbfounded. Severing hands and feet was one thing, but their heads too? How could one reflect on misdeeds without a head? His pleading gaze instinctively shifted towards the Forest Witch.

The Forest Witch's mouth went dry. She lowered her head, not daring to speak. Hans and Gretel might not match her in overall power, but seeing how effortlessly this Eastern Monk had dealt with them, she figured he could dispose of her just as easily. All she could think about now was how to find a chance to escape...

Li Ang turned his head. His cold gaze swept over the Forest Witch, who at that moment wished she could turn invisible or burrow into the earth. "Is there any way," he asked indifferently, "to make a Natural Spellcaster lose their abilities?"

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